Heat a wok and add ghee and fry the vermicelli till color changes to transparent add milk and bring to a boil add sugar,badam powder cardamom powder and bring to a boil check if vermicelli has cooked throughly and switch of the stove in a fry pan add 1 to 2 tsps ghee and fry the cashew and raisins and add to the pudding serve hot or cold this recipe is my all time favorite food its a instant dessert and best part is you can serve it hot or cold do try this recipe and post your comments...enjoy...:)

I've also done a detail video recipe on youtube do watch and post your comments...:)

Thứ Sáu, 30 tháng 7, 2010

I had my first taste of falafel a few years ago.. taking the first bite I just thought it was very close to indian fritters, crispy n yum. I was also getting faint taste of coriander n cumin, I liked it.. very much.. looked for the recipe on the net... found out that despite having so many healthy ingredients chickpeas, cilantro, garlic, spices, these little beauties are best deep fried... ahhh! The obvious thought struck me 'will they taste as good if I bake them instead?' And then I tried it and to my delight they turned out great, crispy, healthy n tasty. Not having to deal with the mess of frying is an added bonus. I often make these for weekend lunches, just mix and blend all the ingredients and bake, stuff inside a whole wheat pita pocket, pour some hummus, cut some veggies, done. Wholesome and hearty... and did I tell you, guilt free. My hubby, he loves it when I come up with these ideas :-) I also add some indian masala to add a desi twist!

Kulfi is an indian version of ice-cream... often flavored with cardamom, saffron and nuts, it has a very unique flavor. It has similarities with ice cream in term of texture, taste and of course the fact that it is frozen milk! But unlike Western ice creams, kulfi is not whipped, resulting in a solid, dense frozen dessert.Where I come from, it is often served with falooda noodles( kind of like vermicelli)

During the summers in india, there is no dessert more popular than kulfi.So, there is an easy way to do things and then there is a not-so-easy way! Here I will show you the easy way :) It is often considered very hard to make, stirring the milk for hours in the kitchen and all... but today I am giving a very fuss-free easy-breezy kulfi recipe. It is soooo easy even kids can make it. Infact it is a great cooking/fun project to do with kids... and they love to eat it too. My daughter is a fussy eater, doesn't even like ice-cream very much but she gobbled this one up.It has always been my favorite.. always hit with guests.. so without much delay here goes the recipe.

Thứ Tư, 28 tháng 7, 2010

have already raved about my liking for paneer, so here is yet another very popular paneer recipe. Kadhai paneer is a classic north indian dish. In the recipe, paneer is cooked in a kadhai or wok (hence the name kadhai paneer) with bell peppers in a spicy onion-tomato based sauce with lots of ginger, garlic, cilantro leaves and flavored with kasoori methi. It has a distinct fresh spicy aroma and flavor that compares to nothing else.

This is one of the few non-creamy preparation of paneer easy and quick to make with simple ingredients and is always a crowd pleaser. My hubby likes the combination of paneer and mushrooms very much so I came up with this recipe and it was a big hit :) But using mushrooms is entirely optional. These are great for dinner, lunch, parties or picnics. Can be served with roti or parathas and can also be filled inside sandwich or wraps for a quick fix wholesome meal.

Step 1:-Heat a wok add 2 tbsp of oil and fry onion and green chilly fry till transparent add all the dry masala chillypowder, cumin powder and garam masala to the onion and fry add the coriander and mint fry for a sec add the boiled potatoes add salt and fry till masala gets incorporated in the filling set the masala a side to completely cool before filling into the roti.

Step 2:- Sift the flour and mix salt and oil add water as you get to a dough consistency the dough should be very soft and knead the dough to get best roti's cover set aside for at least 1/2 hr before preparing roti.

Step 3:- Roll out 2 small roti and spread the filling layer the second roti and seal the edges and gently roll out once more fry the roti on a hot tava or pan adding butter or oil serve hot with ketchup , butter or curds ....enjoy....:)

Tip 1:- Do not over cook the potatoes...to get good results while rolling the roti if the potatoes are over cooked there are chances of filling coming out of the roti.

rench bread pizzas are super fast and really easy to make and extremely versatile. You can make them with whatever ingredients/leftovers you have at hand..(have made them using aloo gobhi and baingan bharta :-) It is also a good use for any leftover bread that you may have.

My hubs in his bachelor days used to often eat the frozen ones from the supermarket. He showed me once while we were in the local grocery and I went "huh! that should be easy to make".. tried it and liked it. I make it on weeknights sometimes when we crave for pizza and am not in a mood to make everything from scratch or order a take out. It can also be served as a snack for small get togethers, just cut them into smaller pieces, stick a toothpick in and enjoy the compliments.

Thứ Hai, 26 tháng 7, 2010

Makki di roti 'n sarson da saag.. rustic, soulful, nutritious, delicious. The world famous Punjabi household staple is my family favorite too. The dish is comprised of two components, almost always paired together (a match made in heaven). Makki di roti essentially means corn flat bread and sarson da saag is mustard greens cooked up with traditional herbs and spices. The mustard greens are relatively easy to make but the Makki roti requires a little patience and skill. It took me a couple of attempts to get it right. So do not be disheartened if you have to give it a second shot to perfect it.

1. Bring 3 cups of water in a large pot to a boil. Add in the mustard, spinach and dill and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes till the greens are tender. Drain and allow to cool a little. Puree the greens in a blender to make a slightly grainy paste. Keep aside.

2. Place oil and ghee in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add hing, ginger, garlic and green chilli and stir till they get light brown in color, about a minute. Add the onion, turmeric and salt and cook till the onions are light golden brown. Add the tomatoes and 1 tsp makki atta and cook till the mixture appears mashed up and is even.

3. Add the pureed greens and cook till the oil separates. Stir occasionally. Add the red chilli powder and garam masala and cook for two minutes. Remove from heat.

4. In a separate small pan, heat ghee on medium high heat. Add all the tadka ingredients and cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Pour this over the cooked saag.

5. Place a glob of butter over the saag and serve with roti (see below).

For roti -

1. In a bowl take makki atta and whole wheat flour. Add salt and ajwain.

2. Squeeze out all the water from the grated mooli. Mix in to the flours evenly.

3. Knead by adding a little water at a time. Note that the dough will be grainy and will not get as smooth as a regular roti dough. Knead it enough so it can hold its shape if you form a ball in your hand.

4. To roll the roti, take a small ziploc bag, cut open two of its sealed sides to make a folder, moisten the insides with some water and place the ball in it. Cover and close. Place it on a flat surface and slowly but firmly press with your palm to roll the ball out into a 4 to 5 inch disc.,slightly thicker than roti.

5. Carefully remove the roti from the ziploc bag and place on a hot non-stick tawa. Let it cook on one side. Pour some oil on the top and flip to the other side. Cook evenly till the roti gets a nice golden color on both sides. Serve hot. ENJOY!

Notes:1. Do not prepare the roti dough too much in advance as it dries out quick and becomes difficult to manage.

Step 2:-Heat a wok add a tsp of oil and fry fenugreek leafs along with tamatoe ketchup and set aside.

Step 3:-Heat a pressure cooker add oil and ghee fry cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bayleaf...add the onions fry add the tamatoe fry add the ginger and garlic paste fry...add the chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric and fry allow the oil the leave the masala...add the rice fry for a second for (1 cup of rice i have added 1 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup milk) add the water and milk add salt...add the fried fenugreek leaves and cover for 4 mins or for 2 whistles.garnish with coriander and lime....serve hot hot with raita and boiled eggs...enjoy...:)

I've done a detail video on you tube do post your comments and suggestion we would love to hear from you...:)

This chilled and delicious drink/dessert is perfect for summer times (I can have it all year round ;)). I just love its beautiful pink color. It is such a treat to eyes and tastebuds alike. It is also fun to have because of the different textures of each ingredient. In India it is generally considered to belong in the street food category. I remember whenever we used to go out to eat chaat and panipuri (which was very often) we had to have falooda otherwise the whole outing used to be incomplete. It is so refreshing and very sophisticated with the delicate rose and pista flavor.. yum!

Thứ Bảy, 24 tháng 7, 2010

am not sure how many of you know about Sattu or have tasted it. It is a flour made of roasted grams or chana. Mainly popular in Bihar and UP regions of India. It is often considered as a very low budget and nutritious meal full of fiber and protein. It is a favorite and staple at almost all bihari homes. It is something I grew up eating. Litti is synonymous with Bihari cuisine and sattu is the main ingredient. It is used in different preparations such as parathas, kachori, litti, a kind of drink where sattu is mixed with with salt and sugar and lemon and cumin powder (which every bihari farmer starts his day with). Even sattu sweets are made by mixing it with sugar or jaggery and ghee .

For today, I am giving the recipe for sattu kachori, again my mom's recipe. The best thing about these kachoris other than the deep fried crispy outer shell ;- ) is the yummy tickling sattu filling with spicy pickle oil, tangy lemon, lots of onion and garlic, carom and nigella seeds.. yum. She often used to make it for breakfast with some kala chana or aloo ki sabji and it tasted fab. Here in the US I am yet to find sattu in a store (or even online!) so I always bring it from India and freeze it for a longer shelf life. If you are able to find it somewhere, you gotta try it.. it tastes awesome!

De-seed the cucumber and finely chop shred the carrots chop the onion and chilly finely chop the coriander and curry leaf finely mix all the ingredients with yogurt and add 1 tsp of salt heat oil in a fry pan and add mustard, cumin, red chilly and hing add the curry leafs and fry for a second and temper the mixed yogurt and cucumber serve along with pulao or any rice dishes or can even be served as a dip along with corn chips...do try this and post your comments...enjoy...:)

I've also done a detail recipe video on youtube do post your comments and suggestions I would love to hear from you...:)

Thứ Năm, 22 tháng 7, 2010

An all time favorite in the chaat category is the one and only aloo tikki chat...its something that can have you salivating just by thinking about it. Very popular among all age groups, the epitome of indian street food. These are flavorful patties or tikkies made out of mashed potatoes and other spices, which are shallow fried then smothered with a spicy yellow peas sauce and garnished with sweet and spicy chutney, yogurt, sev, onion and fresh cilantro..YUMM!! It is always reminiscent of the carefree school and college days :) My friends and I used to queue up in front of 'chaat wale bhaiyyaji' ka 'thela' and relish it every single day... pure bliss!

These are fairly easy to make, once you have all the ingredients and are soul satisfying.This I learned from my mom..

Idly Upma is my fav tea time snack my grandma used to prepare this dish for me its we can even prepare this recipe for break fast and best part about this recipe is we can use leftover idly's.

Ingerdients :

5 Idly's

1 Onion finely chopped

2 Chillies

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Split chickpeas

1 Dried red chilli

1 tsp Split black gram dhal

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 Pinch Asafoetida = hing

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp oil

coriander and curry leaves finely chopped

Heat a wok and add oil fry mustard seeds, chick peas, black gram dhal, and red chilli stir and fry hing and curry leaves add onions along with green chilli and add salt and fry crumble the idly's and add to the rest of the ingredients and fry garnish with coriander and serve hot pickles and enjoy with hot cup of tea...enjoy...:)

I've also done a detail recipe video on youtube please do view and post your comments and suggestions we would love to hear from you...:)

Thứ Tư, 21 tháng 7, 2010

If you like hummus and if you like artichokes you gotta try this.. the creamy dip with a hint of mild tartness and taste of artichokes, some Indian spices, lots of garlic and olive oil.. yummy... my kinda stuff!! Perfect for dipping also can be used as bread spread. Heres how I make it.

Mix the potatoes, onion, chilles, coriander and mint , peas and bread crumbs into the preboiled lamb mince and mix every thing throughly and form patties you can use any cutlet or cookie cutter to form shape refrigerate for 2 hours.

before frying the cutlets egg wash the cutlets and roll them in bread crumbs fry in oil and serve hot with ketchup or mint chutney.

Kheema cutlets are great for parties kids will love them try this recipe and enjoy...:)

I've also done a detail video recipe on you tube do view and post your comments and suggestions we would love to hear from you...:)

I remember, mom always used to make this when we were kids .. used to be my most fav breakfast. We used to call it chuda ka pulao as poha is called chuda where I come from. She also sometimes used to pack our lunch boxes with it and it was a great hit with my school and college friends :) this is very easy and quick to make.. can be put together in a jiffy. It is a wholesome one pot meal. It can be made numerous ways and every version is my favorite. My hubby likes his poha with lots of gobhi, peas and aloo.. so this is how I often make it.

Mango Milk Shake has always been my fav I still remember my mama(maternal uncle) used to prepare this milk shake for me as a kid i still remember he used to sit and watch me enjoy the mango milk shake that he prepared for me i was totally a spoilt mama's pet....this recipe I dedicate to my manu mama....love you mama...:)

Ingerdients:

1 Cup chopped mango

2 to 3 tsps sugar

1/2 Cup chilled water

1 Cup chilled milk or soy milk

2 to 3 drops of cardamom essence or 1/2 tsp powder

orange food color (optional)

In a blender add chopped mango water sugar and blend to puree consistence add milk cardamom food color and blend well for 3 mins serve chill in a tall tumbler with a mango wedge decorated do try this and serve for friends and family this will be your kids fav item happy cooking...enjoy...:)

I've also done a detail recipe video on you tube do watch the link and post your comments and suggestions we would love to hear from you...:)

Thứ Hai, 19 tháng 7, 2010

am a self proclaimed chocoholic...loooooooooooove chocolates in any form. My most fav is chocolate molten cake..Ahhhhhh!! Molten chocolate cake I think is every chocolate lover's delight, the warm ooey-gooey chocolaty goodness is just irresistible.. and when combined with nutella and coffee it goes to the level where it turns soooooooooo decadent and sinful that no words can express :-) My love for nutella is the inspiration behind this creation... hope you like it.

Papaya Milk Shake Is my fav, I drink this milk shake almost everyday its good for skin and helps in digestion papaya is a fruit many people hate the flavor and taste but every one likes it in a milk shake form every one must try this at home elderly and kids will love it do try this recipe and post your comments.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Papaya

2 tsps sugar

1 Cup Milk or soy milk (Chilled)

1/2 Cup water (Chilled)

1 pinch Orange colour

3 to 4 Drops rose water

or Cardamom essence

Blend 1 cup of papaya with sugar and water in a mixer to a puree consistency then add cold milk rose water a pinch of colour and blend well serve chill in a tall tumbler...enjoy....:)

I've also done a detail recipe on papaya milk shake do view and leave us your comments and suggestions we would love to hear from you...:)

Chủ Nhật, 18 tháng 7, 2010

Kadhi, when classically paired with plain rice or chawal is the ultimate comfort food for me.. and I think many of my fellow Indians will agree with me on that :-) it is a kind of (say) chicken soup for the vegetarians, soulfully delicious, comforting and addictive. I often make it whenever I crave for something homey and simple. On a rainy day kadhi with pakodas and chawal is pure bliss.. it reminds me of mom and home!

It is a blend of yogurt with gramflour pakodas.. which is famous all over india with some differences here and there. Punjabi kadhi and gujarati kadhi are more popular, however there is bihai kadhi as well which is less known, but tastes just as awesome. This is my mom's recipe, do try this and let me know how it came out.

In a wok or a fry pan add 1/2 tsdp of oil and fry the above masala allow to cool and add to a blender to prepare a paste and prepare a paste a set aside.this masala can be used for any poultry or meat preparation.can be stored in a air tight container in the fridge shelf life 2 weeks

To par boil the meat:

1 tsp of red chilli powder

1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

1 tsp of coriander powder

1 tsp of salt

Heat a wok or a heavy bottom pan add 1/2 tsp of oil and tip in the meat and the dry masala along with the meat precook the meat to a parboiled consistency and set aside.

In a Khadai or wok heat oil and ghee add the whole masala cinnamon, cardamom, cloves & bay leafs fry and add the onions & green chilli fry and add the garlic and the dry masala fry well and add the par boiled keema and salt fry add the green peas and add 1 cup of water and cover allow to cook well and the oil to leave the sides garnish with coriander and lemon serve hot with rice or roti...Enjoy..:)

I've also done a detail video on the recipe do leave your comments and suggestions we would love to hear from you...:)

Thứ Bảy, 17 tháng 7, 2010

Growing up, my summers out of school were mostly spent at my grandparents'. Among many other things that I used to look forward to, the train ride was definitely one of them and the amazing jhal-muri the vendors used to sell on that route. Even today, whenever I think of jhal-muri, I get nostalgic about those train journeys...

Jhal is spicy in bengali and muri is puffed rice, a very famous street food in kolkata and around the area. Spicy and addictive. I personally think it as one of the healthier among all street foods as it is not something fried and also consists of sprouts which we all know is very healthy. Also very easy to make when you have all the ingredients at hand.

This is one of my most favorite snacks. I can just have jhal-muri for lunch! (have done it several times :D)

BisiBeleBathis famous and authentic recipe of karnataka we normally prepare belebath on auspicious occasions or during festivals every body has their own recipe for belebath we tried 4 different methods and loved this method the bele bath recipe serves for 3 to 4 people but prior preparation for this recipe is important.

Ingredients :

100 grms Green beans

100 grms carrots

100 grms navil kosu or Indian turnip

1 large onion

3 large tomatoes blanched

2 green chillies slit

1oo grms green peas or frozen peas

1/2 lemon

2 tbsps coriander leaves

3 sprigs curry leaves

1/2 tsp of chilli powder

1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

pre cook the vegetables with salt chilli and turmeric powder leaving the chillies and onion for frying also blanch 3 tomatoes or you can use canned or tomato puree.

Dry masala :

1 tsp of mustard seeds

2 tbsps split chick peas = channa dhal

2 dried red chilli

1 inch piece of cinnamon

3 cloves

1 pinch of fenugreek seeds

1 tsp black pepper corns

1 tsp of cumin

1 tbsp of sesame seeds

1 pinch of asofotida or hing

1/2 tsp of red chill powder

1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

2 tbsp of dried coconut powder

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil and 1 tsp ghee for tempering

Bele bath:

1 cup rice

1/3 cup pigeon peas = thoovar dhal

please pre cook the thoovar dhal to a mushy consistency before preparing the rice.

wash and soak the rice for 5 to 10 mins and drain before adding to the cooker.

Heat oil and ghee in a cooker add mustard and allow to splatter then add the chopped onions and fry add 1 pinch of asafoetidaand fry add curry leaves and blanched tomatoes fry. then add chilli powder turmeric powder and fry well add the washed rice pre cooked dhal salt and add 3 cups of water pre cook dhal with 1 cup of water so you should have added 4 cups of water to the rice cover the lid and cook 2 whistles or for 4 mins in a pressure cooker. but the same dish can be made in a slow cooker but you have to add 2 cups water extra.

dry roast all the whole masala grind along with dried coconut.

once you've open the cooker your bele bath must be almost ready by this time it should be is semi soupee consistency then heat 1/2 cup of water add dry ground masala to the water and mix into the bele bath mix the masala well and serve very hot with ghee, pickles boondi and potato chips...do try this recipe this will be your family fav and share bele bath with friends...enjoy.... :)

I've also done 2 part Bisi Bele Bath recipe video do leave your comments and suggestions we would love to hear from you...:)

mix all the ingredients and knead well adding water and oil...the dough should not be tight or stiff....knead well and allow to rest for 1/2hr.

for the gobi stuffing

1 medium size Gobi or cauliflower finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1 tsp of ginger garlic paste

1 green chilly finely chopped

2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp coriander powder = dhania powder

1 tsp cumin powder = jeera powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

2 tbsp of oil

salt to taste 2 tbsp water

Heat a khadai add oil fry the onions add the ginger garlic paste and powder masala along with the green chillies and fry well add the cauliflower salt and 2 tbsps of water mix well cover and allow to cook then add the coriander leaves and allow the masala to rest.

its very important to cool the masala before preparing the paratha's .

Now roll out 2 small roti's and fill in the prepared masala on top of one roti and then layer the 2nd roti seal the edges well and gently roll out once more so that the filling will spread out equally and you will get a even paratha.

Heat a tava and fry the paratha add 2 tsp of oil and serve hot with yogurt, pickles or onions....:)

we have to be extra cautious when cleaning cauliflower its better to wash and clean thrice....twice in running tab water and once with 1tbsp of salt and 2 tbsps of vinegar in lukewarm water this would help remove all insects and pesticides sprayed on top of the cauliflower...

I've also done 2 part video in detail and explained if any quires or suggestion please comment below we would love to hear from you....:)

Vegetable chop or roll is a famous street food that is found almost all over India, with minor differences in ingredients here and there. Whenever I think of them, I go back to my college days and to my college canteen, they served the meanest veg chops.. they were to die for.. yum! Hubby also remembers it as his favorite street food from his home town. An absolute favorite with everyone, they are very versatile too, serve them with some ketchup or chutney as an appetizer or for a change stuff them inside a bun and it converts into a amazing veg burger and a quick fix meal. You can also serve them as chaat with some chhole and chutney and enjoy the compliments. Can be made using different veg.. or whatever you have in your refrigerator (except the beets which I think is a must). Perfect for a rainy day they are addictive. They are best deep fried (and its okay once in a while :-). I once made this for my hubby's office potluck (over 70 of these) and he tells me they were the first ones to go, he was very proud :-)Here's how I make it.